Lamp fixture



N0. 6|9,598. Patented Feb. l4, I899.

L.v MOSS.

LAMP FIXTURE.

(Application filed July so, 1896.)

(No Model.)

In vemw:

.LmcoZnMss.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINCOLN MOSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WVESLEY S. BLOCK, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,598, dated February 14, 1899.

Application filed July 30,1896. Serial No. 601,086. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LINCOLN MOSS, of New York city, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Fixtures, of which the following is a description, referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The present improvement is intended particularly for Welsbach and other incandescent burners, though in many of its features it is by no means restricted to such burners.

The object of the invention is to support the burner, and in the case of the Welsbach lamp the mantle, in such a manner that it will not be injured by jars and vibrations, and may therefore be advantageously used in railwaycars, factories, andother places subjected to violent vibrations. In addition to this the invention contemplates the arrangement of a globe, reflectors, and other details, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

The invention is of so simple a nature that it will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in central section, of a fixture. Fig. 2 is a detail side View of the spring suspension. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the support for the burner. Fig. at is a detail View of the burner and the lower portion of the mantle. Figs. 5 and 6 show modifications in the form of hangers, and Figs. 7 and 8 show methods of suspending the lamp without the spring-hangers.

Throughout the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the fixture is shown suspended from the roof of a railway-car. The two fork-shaped depending brackets B, as clearly seen in detail Fig. 2, are secured to the roof, and from them the lamp is suspended. The lamp is hung by means of the two arms or ears D and the springs S, S, and S, secured to each of the ears D and to the fork of the bracket B, as shown. The springs S take the weight of the lamp, and the springs S and S, which should be under some tension, prevent the transmission of lateral shocks to the lamp. The points D are indeed free to move slightly in all directions and in this way permit the oscillation and otherfree movement of the lamp for a limited distance and prevent the transmission of shocks to it. The rubber or other flexible gas connection E tends to damp any vibration which the lamp may take up, and also effectively prevents the complete rotation or inversion of the lamp. The drawings show a Welsbach lamp. The gas is supplied to the burner by means of the gas-tube F, which preferably encircles the chimney,as at F, before leading to the burner. In the portion F the gas is heated, so that the temperature of the flame and the brilliancy of the incandescent mantle are considerably increased thereby. The gas-pipe F F is supported directly by the heavy reflector G, which is carried directly .upon the projecting ears or arms D, by which the lamp is hung. The head II may rest directly upon the upper surface of the reflector. This head II is preferably transparent and allows the light to be thrown directly from the mantle to the ceiling, and I provide especially for the lighting of the ceiling by having the incandescent portion of the mantle M extend up through the reflector G, as shown, so as to throw out light above the reflector and illuminate'the ceiling.

I prefer to form the globe J of the lamp of some such form as that shown and hinge the bezel-ring from a depending arm, as K, or from such other point that when open the globe and the bezel-ring may drop clear of the burner and gas-pipe F. My combination of the globe and the reflector G is especially important, because the bezel-ring and edge of the globe extend up into the annular channel or recess in the reflector, as shown, and accomplish two results. Some interval is allowed beween the annular channel and the edge of the globe, and through this interval, which is shaped like an inverted U, the air is supplied to the lamp. I find that no amount of wind or draft causes the entering air to disturb the flame of the lamp. Moreover, the air in passing through the space between the globe and the more or less heated surface at G is considerably heated, and thereby contributes to the high temperature and brilliancy of the burner. The other object of having the bezel-ring and edge of the globe embodied in the annular space in the reflector is that no shadow is thrown by the bezel-ring on the reflector--a very objectionable defect that has been commonly present in other lamps having such reflectors.

The globe may be held in its closed or raised position by a catch or other suitable fastening, as at L. Preferably some device should be used which casts the least possible shadow upon the reflector.

The points of suspension D are slightly above the center of gravity of the lamp, and I find that by this arrangement, in combination with the spring suspension S S S, Very much less swing or pendulum motion is given to them, foritis clear that when a shock is trans mitted with diminished intensity through the springs S and S it will produce far less swinging effect or moment upon the lamp if the point of application is at or near the center of gravity. Furthermore, the nearer the points of suspension are to the center of gravity the longer will be the period of swing and the greater, therefore, the effect of the damping ofthe flexible connection E and the friction of the parts.

from swinging effect.

which the lamp is subjected, I provide for the more rapid vibrations and shocks in the following manner: The lesser verticalvibrations and shocks are guarded against by the delicate spring O,which carries the gallery of the lamp upon the inner tube present in Welsbach lamps as now constructed. The gallery carries the chimney, the mantle M, the mantle-support, and the burner proper, and therefore all these parts are borne upon the spring 0 and thereby guarded from vibration. In Fig. 3 these details are shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 1, and the spring 0 consists of a number of thin metal arms, which give greater play for the same space than is possible with the helical spring shown in Fig. 1. The spring shown in the figure may be formed from a single plate, punched in the middle to fit around the inner tube of the burner and provided with the several radial arms, which are bent back, as shown in the drawings, to support the burner. The lateral vibrations, which are not absorbed by the spring 0 and which I have found tend to cause breaking of the mantle in a circular line near the upper edge of the burner, are absorbed by means of a ring R, of asbestos or other suitable soft refractory material,placed around the burnertube T just inside the mantle M. The lateral vibration instead of causing the mantle to strike against the side of the tube causes it to rub lightly on the tube R without apparent damage.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have indicated wall- As the result of this I find 1 that either because the period of vibration 1 is so great that the effect of one shock is not i felt before some countershock is transmitted f or for other reasons the lamp is virtually free g brackets in place of the ceiling-brackets B of Figs. 1 and 2. These wall-brackets B may have the springs arranged in the manner indicated or in any other manner desired. Indeed I do not mean to limit myself to the helical springs shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, as other forms, such as the spring 0 in Fig. 3, or any suitable spring may be substituted. In many cases where the shocks or jars are very excessive the portion 1) of the brackets 13 may be made of flexible or yielding material, so as to assist in absorbing and neutralizing the vibrations. On the other hand, in many instances, as in some factories and in Pullman cars, Iam able to dispense with the spring suspension of the lamp as awhole and merely use the burner-supporting spring 0 for resisting vertical shocks and asbestos or other ring R for taking care of lateral vibrations. It will of course be understood that the wire mantlesupport tends to absorb lateral vibrations to a very great extent, and so protects the upper portion of the mantle.

\Vhere my invention is used with the omission of the spring suspension of the lamp, the reflector G or any other desired part of the lamp may be directly secured to the bracket which carries the lamp, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

I desire it to be understood that any one of my novel features or subcombinations may While the spring suspension largely pro-1 vldes for the severer shocks and vibrations t0 be employed for their several purposes without regard to the other combinations of features which I have shown and described. I have, however, in the drawings and in this description set forth one preferred and complete embodiment of all the features which contribute to the lamp as designed for certain very rough usage, leaving it to circumstances to decide which of these several features may be omitted with advantage and economy.

I claim and desire to secure, together with such variations as may be made without departing from the principles involved, the following:

1. The W'elsbach, or other lamp, hung from one or more flexible points of suspension, at or near the center of gravity of said lamp, the said lamp being provided with a springsupport for the burner, substantially as set forth.

2. The lamp hung from two or more flexible points of suspension, at or near the centerof gravity, in combination with a yielding damping device, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination in a Welsbach or other lamp, means for flexibly supporting portions of the lamp including burner, chimney and gallery thereof at one or more points, permitting rocking about such point or points, one or more springs permitting vertical play of the burner, chimney and gallery together under shock or jar, and means for damping rocking movement, substantially as set forth.

4.. The lamp provided with the reflector, the said refiectorbeing suspended from two or bracket, or other means for supporting the said lamp, one or more sets of springs secured at one end to the bracket and at their other ends to the lamp, all the springs of each such set extending in lines that approximately meet at a common point, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination in a lamp, the reflector G surrounding the chimney at such point that the flame or the light-giving portion extends partly above the said reflector, and having an annular recess, and the lamp-globe extending at its edgeinto the recess and secured therein so as to cast no shadow onto the reflector, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination in a lamp, the reflector G surrounding the chimney, at such point that the flame or light-giving portion radiates upward above the said reflector, and the transparent top or head H, supported upon the back or upper surface of the reflector substantially as set forth.

9. In combination in a lamp, the reflector G extending around the said lamp, as described, and provided with an annular recess, and the lamp-globe extending into the said recess and supported therein, so as to cast no shadow from the points of support onto the face of the reflector, substantially as set forth.

10. In combination in a lamp, the reflector G extending around the said lamp, as described, and provided with an annular channel, and the lamp-globe inclosing the burner of the said lamp and extending into the said channel, leaving an air-space between the surface of the said channel and the edge of the globe, for the admission of air to the said lamp, substantially as set forth.

11. In combination in alamp, the reflector G' extending around the said lamp, as described, and provided with an annular channel, and the lamp-globe inclosing the burner a heating chamber or portion, as F above the said reflector, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LINCOLN Moss.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. SONNEBORN, HAROLD BINNEY. 

